Comments on: A homeschooler’s guide to unhappiness http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/ If the foundations be destroyed, what shall the righteous do? --Psalm 11:3 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:40:28 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Dana http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-3162 Dana Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:32:03 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-3162 Thanks, Bethany. And don't feel bad...these are common issues for everyone. After all, I largely wrote from my own experience! Thanks, Bethany. And don’t feel bad…these are common issues for everyone. After all, I largely wrote from my own experience!

]]> By: Bethany http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-3160 Bethany Mon, 05 Nov 2007 14:23:06 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-3160 Oh this is sounding like the road I have gone down!!! AGH! I laughed at it but then realized how often I do these very things and not just in "schooling" but in training my kids. I guess I'm a literalist. I tend to be black and white and to the letter. UGH! Bleck! Now I know I'm needing to lighten up! Thanks for the laugh but the reminder as well. You know, I might just have to have a midwinter bonfire of our books! Just kidding, they aren't all bad but I can definately get by with much less. Bethany Oh this is sounding like the road I have gone down!!! AGH! I laughed at it but then realized how often I do these very things and not just in “schooling” but in training my kids. I guess I’m a literalist. I tend to be black and white and to the letter. UGH! Bleck! Now I know I’m needing to lighten up!

Thanks for the laugh but the reminder as well. You know, I might just have to have a midwinter bonfire of our books! Just kidding, they aren’t all bad but I can definately get by with much less.

Bethany

]]> By: Dana http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-3062 Dana Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:10:05 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-3062 Great addition! Thank you and I'm glad you enjoyed it. I always feel weird leaving links on a new blog because I don't want people to think I'm spamming them but I also thought you might need the slightly different perspective. : ) Enjoying your blog! Great addition! Thank you and I’m glad you enjoyed it. I always feel weird leaving links on a new blog because I don’t want people to think I’m spamming them but I also thought you might need the slightly different perspective. : )

Enjoying your blog!

]]> By: Mrs. Nicklebee http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-3060 Mrs. Nicklebee Fri, 26 Oct 2007 06:17:10 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-3060 <b>Focus on Areas Needing Improvement</b> Whenever possible, evaluate everything you or your child are not doing and lament over the gaps in his education. It is best if this is the first thought you have in the morning, so, if you think it would help, write yourself a little note and stick it on the bathroom mirror. Maybe put one on the fridge. And tape a big one onto the window in front of the kitchen sink, for good measure. Don't acknowledge your child's strengths or any areas where he has improved. After all, encouragement might cause the weaknesses to, er, get weaker. Great post! Thank you for posting the link in your comment on my blog. :) Focus on Areas Needing Improvement

Whenever possible, evaluate everything you or your child are not doing and lament over the gaps in his education. It is best if this is the first thought you have in the morning, so, if you think it would help, write yourself a little note and stick it on the bathroom mirror. Maybe put one on the fridge. And tape a big one onto the window in front of the kitchen sink, for good measure. Don’t acknowledge your child’s strengths or any areas where he has improved. After all, encouragement might cause the weaknesses to, er, get weaker.

Great post! Thank you for posting the link in your comment on my blog. :)

]]> By: Dana http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-2737 Dana Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:31:00 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-2737 I think that would do it, too, Jennifer! I think that would do it, too, Jennifer!

]]> By: Jennifer in OR http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-2736 Jennifer in OR Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:17:00 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-2736 I'll help bring on the unhappiness:<br/><br/><b>1. Allow yourself to be wracked with guilt.</b> Yes, everytime you see a group of school children happily playing at recess, having band practice, or putting on a school play, tell yourself, "I've deprived my children!" Every time a stranger (or family member) raises her eyebrows when you say you are homeschooling, soak in the condemnation they are surely shooting your way. Oh, and you haven't "done school" all week? Guilty!!<br/><br/><b>2. Never be flexible.</b> No, I'm sorry Susie, my plan book says we are doing pages 5-6 in Spelling today, you may NOT write a letter to your Grandma instead. Johnny, you were supposed to be done with that science project yesterday - sorry, gotta move on, you need be finished. I’ll help bring on the unhappiness:

1. Allow yourself to be wracked with guilt. Yes, everytime you see a group of school children happily playing at recess, having band practice, or putting on a school play, tell yourself, “I’ve deprived my children!” Every time a stranger (or family member) raises her eyebrows when you say you are homeschooling, soak in the condemnation they are surely shooting your way. Oh, and you haven’t “done school” all week? Guilty!!

2. Never be flexible. No, I’m sorry Susie, my plan book says we are doing pages 5-6 in Spelling today, you may NOT write a letter to your Grandma instead. Johnny, you were supposed to be done with that science project yesterday - sorry, gotta move on, you need be finished.

]]> By: April http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-2735 April Tue, 25 Sep 2007 07:59:00 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-2735 Love it! I am guilty as charged. Thanks for the reminders. <br/><br/>Happy Homeschooling to you! Love it! I am guilty as charged. Thanks for the reminders.

Happy Homeschooling to you!

]]> By: Dana http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-2734 Dana Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:55:00 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-2734 Ooh! A case study! It is amazing how effectively we can set ourselves up for failure and then be shocked when we achieve it.<br/><br/>I think it is hardest when you are new because all you know is the "system." At least that is what I attribute my first year to. Ooh! A case study! It is amazing how effectively we can set ourselves up for failure and then be shocked when we achieve it.

I think it is hardest when you are new because all you know is the “system.” At least that is what I attribute my first year to.

]]> By: Mother Crone's Homeschool http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-2733 Mother Crone's Homeschool Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:34:00 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-2733 I need to print this and hand it out to the new homeschooling moms at our co-op. It is scary how clueless they are, having their kindergarten children doing school five hours a day! And they asked me how what I can suggest to get them to stop crying! They didn't like my answer to read Gatto and have a big bonfire for most of the curriculum they bought! I need to print this and hand it out to the new homeschooling moms at our co-op. It is scary how clueless they are, having their kindergarten children doing school five hours a day! And they asked me how what I can suggest to get them to stop crying! They didn’t like my answer to read Gatto and have a big bonfire for most of the curriculum they bought!

]]> By: Dana http://principleddiscovery.com/2007/09/21/a-homeschoolers-guide-to-unhappiness/#comment-2732 Dana Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:03:00 +0000 http://principleddiscovery.com/?p=627#comment-2732 And since no one else has stepped up, yet, I have one more:<br/><br/><b>Know thine enemy.</b><br/><br/>Read every alert HSLDA sends out. Skip over the positive stories and go straight to the ones where CPS has contacted a homeschooler. Subscribe to Google alerts and remain notified of every conflict between homeschoolers and the state. Begin to fear leaving the house during school hours and jump every time someone asks your children about school. If done probably, this can develop into a full-scale paranoia. And since no one else has stepped up, yet, I have one more:

Know thine enemy.

Read every alert HSLDA sends out. Skip over the positive stories and go straight to the ones where CPS has contacted a homeschooler. Subscribe to Google alerts and remain notified of every conflict between homeschoolers and the state. Begin to fear leaving the house during school hours and jump every time someone asks your children about school. If done probably, this can develop into a full-scale paranoia.

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